Out of trend, but I must say: Ashotyan on Armenia-Ukraine relations

“Hold on tight, gentlemen,” wrote Armen Ashotyan, the Vice President of the Republican Party of Armenia, on his Facebook page, commenting on the recent welcoming by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the formation of a friendship group with Ukraine in the Armenian Parliament.

Specifically, he stated: “It is out of trend, but I must say. I will cut through the nonsense regarding a ‘straightened’ foreign policy. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently welcomed the establishment of a friendship group with Ukraine in the Armenian Parliament. Without a doubt, I am a fervent supporter of improving relations with Ukraine and strengthening the centuries-old friendship between Armenians and Ukrainians. We and the Ukrainians are kindred peoples, but our states have, due to historical circumstances, become geopolitical adversaries.”

Ashotyan recalled that back in the distant 90s, Ukraine officially supported Azerbaijan, even before the issue of Crimea, but the friendship between the peoples continued. He pointed to the strong and numerous Ukrainian Armenian community as a testament to this friendship. “Of course, in the current situation, maximum efforts should be made to normalize intergovernmental relations. Unfortunately, under the new authorities, neither Pashinyan’s pro-Ukrainian tweets nor Nikol’s advice to Zelensky regarding communication with Putin have yielded any results,” he added.

He cited the well-known statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding visits to Artsakh as an example of the ongoing challenges. “And here we are again, trying. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is welcoming what is, in reality, quite ordinary—the establishment of a parliamentary friendship group. Our National Assembly has recreated its friendship group with Ukraine in the summer of 2019. It previously existed in the previous parliament as well. And so what?”

Ashotyan questions whether the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made a similar statement regarding Armenia’s National Assembly. “Hold on tight, gentlemen. If you cannot maintain symmetric relations in this case, then what are you bragging about regarding relationships with great powers?”